Indiana Cannabis and Marijuana License

If you want to get a cannabis license in Indiana, this guide is for you. Indiana is one of the few states, where cannabis use regulations are mixed.

How to get a marijuana license in Indiana

You cannot get a cannabis license in the State of Indiana. The use of any type of weed is illegal within the state. Indiana, along with 18 US States, has strict laws related to cannabis use. That is why you cannot buy marijuana both for medical and dispensing purposes.

During the last years, lawmakers have made many attempts to change the laws concerning the recreation and use of cannabis. Still, none of them succeeded.

Lawmaker’s attempts to legalize cannabis within years

In 1913, Indiana became one of the first US states to forbid the sale and use of cannabis without approval. In 2013, the first attempts to change legislative provisions failed to succeed.

Bill

It was introduced in February 2013 and did not pass the committee hearing. ​In 2015, House Bill 1478 and Senate bill 248 suggested legalizing medical cannabis. It was for patients, who suffer from severe diseases. They should get the dose of medical weed by the doctor’s prescription. Still, the same fate yanked this bill.

Some slight changes occurred when Gov. Holcomb signed bill 1148 in July 2017. The latter supposes that patients can use CBD oil for medical goals. The oil should involve less than 0.3% THC. Yet, the use of CBD oil is available if symptoms are out of control.

​CBD for medical purpose

Although the law regulated the use of hemp-derived CBD for medical purposes, it did not allow buying it. Things changed when the government approved the use and sale of hemp-derived CBD by bill 52 in 2018.

Note that CBD products derived from marijuana are still illegal in the state. There is no state company managing the use and distribution of CBD products containing more than  0,3% THC.

Changes of Indiana cannabis and marijuana license

On the positive side, Marion County is making a way for changes. In September 2019, a new amendment was introduced. It states that the possession of less than an ounce of cannabis will have no criminal charges.

Penalties related to Indiana cannabis and marijuana license

As was mentioned above, only the use of hemp-derived CBD with less than 0.3% THC is legal. Any other amount of weed supposes penalties and imprisonment. However, punitive measures for certain amounts also vary. Indiana laws rank the use of fewer than 30 grams of cannabis among class “B” offenses. You can get a $1000 penalty of up to 180 days of custody.

Level 6 felony

If you own over 30 grams of cannabis, it is classified as a Level 6 felony. The punitive measures suppose two-and-a-half years of imprisonment and a $10.000 penalty.

Obligation for marijuana trade and distribution is another theme. The trade of fewer than 30 grams of cannabis is a Class “B” offense. The offender gets up to one year of imprisonment and a $5000 penalty.

The marijuana sale to infants entails a $10.000 fine and up to 6 years of custody. If you are caught for the second time, six months to two-and-a-half-year custody is available. A $10.000 fine is also supposed.

How to get a medical cannabis license?

As it was stated, Indiana does not accept the use of cannabis for medical purposes. However, several bills are introduced to the house of senate annually. These regulations suggest decriminalizing cannabis use for some patients.

Despite unsuccessful efforts, optimists assure that the legalization will be passed this year. A specialized website suggests you prepare in advance. You can schedule an appointment with a qualified doctor. Then, you can arrange all the documents for medical card registration.

A visit to the certified doctor will show whether you match qualifying conditions or not.

Qualifying conditions for an Indiana cannabis and marijuana license

There are no state-approved qualifying conditions. The thing is that the law has not entered into force yet. However, here are the common health issues other states qualify for medical cannabis use:

• ​Chronic Pain
• Fibromyalgia
• Cancer
• Hepatitis C
• Epilepsy and other seizure disorders
• Glaucoma
• Sickle Cell Anemia
• HIV/AIDS
• Autism
• Huntington’s Disease
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Tourette’s Syndrome
• Crohn’s Disease
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Cachexia and wasting syndrome.

When you visit a physician to approve your health state, have your medical records with you. That will increase the opportunity of getting a recommendation from the doctor.

Qualifying

Once your qualifying doctor assures you the medical cannabis treatment is necessary, you can get the recommendation. The certificate will prove that the use of medical cannabis is a mandatory part of your general treatment. Then, you will provide the signed document to the Health Department. An annual registration fee is also necessary.

Applying for an Indiana cannabis and marijuana license

When you apply for a medical weed license, the following documents are necessary:

• The written approval of your physician
• Completed application form
• Your state ID or Indiana driver’s license
• A non-refundable application fee

Is it profitable to get a medical cannabis license in Indiana?

Getting a medical cannabis registration is profitable for several cases. The therapeutic benefits of marijuana have been proved for more than a decade. And if you suffer from any of the mentioned diseases, it might be a good option for you. The usage of any amount of cannabis is not approved without the supervision of a doctor.

It is worth mentioning that the reciprocity of medical cards between the states is common. Hence, your medical card can be valid if you navigate within the states. Note that interstate requirements are possible.

The registration for medical cannabis prevents you from buying unsafe products. All the states strictly control the purchase and distribution of medical weed. Although Indiana has not approved the use of medical cannabis, when it does, the registered dispensaries will provide the qualified products. The dosage of sold weed will be under control. It excludes any illegal operations.

How to get a cannabis grower’s license?

The Farm bill signed in 2019 allows US states to grow and handle industrial hemp. The operation of the hemp program is under the regulation of the US Department of Agriculture. However, marijuana growth for personal purposes is still illegal. The Office of the Indiana State Chemist(OISC) handles the process.

An important change has been made in the application form. According to the new 2020 hemp plan, growers will not need a research proposal. They should not have access to university researchers to apply for a license. The eased process allows the growers and handlers to operate commercial hemp by completing the application and getting approval from the OISC.

You can fill in the online application by visiting the OISC’s official website.

How to apply for the grower’s license?

Entities should submit their email and mailing addresses, state ID, and telephone number. For business applicants, the following information is mandatory:

• Company name and actual address
• Phone number
• Tax ID
• Email address
• Legal mailing address
• Application fee

The non-refundable fee for the application is $750. It is better to make the payment by credit or debit card. The application process will linger for 4 to 5 weeks in case you pay by cashier’s check or money order.

How many types of industrial hemp licenses exist?

The applicants can propose for both grower’s and handler’s licenses. Certified crop advisor licenses are also available. The CCA license is necessary for legal crop sampling.

Who can operate under the business license?

Applicants should fill in information about the key participants, who will be entitled to operate. The entities are key participants. They must also pass a state background check. The personal history inspection is held by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The procedure also includes fingerprint checks. It takes time.

Equally important is not having a criminal background. That applies to key persons. Anyone charged with a drug-related crime is denied immediately.

Above all, applicants should give information about planting and manufacturing plots. To clarify, information about their location and the length and width of plots. Finally, they must clarify the seed types and the purpose of growing.

Must be remembered to reveal the sources where they get the materials from. They may be entities, nonresidential sources, or planting collectives. They must provide complete information, including the name of the source, its state, or country. etc.

The last part is the affirmation. Applicants give consent to follow the law provisions. In other words, it supposes:

• Allowing authorities to access their locations
• Providing harvest outlines at the end of the season
• Compensating the seed agent for testing their crop